Boateng trains with Bayern amid PSG and Manchester United links

Jose Mourinho has made no secret of his desire to add a central defender to his squad, but sources insist United are adamant they will not be held to ransom in the final hours of the window and are prepared to start the season with the squad they have.

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“People ask “can you improve on 100 points” and I say no because we are not here to do that”.

Mourinho also suggested he had not been given enough credit for guiding United to a runners-up finish in the Premier League last season, as he again suggested the negativity around the club was misplaced.

Supporters would certainly be talking differently about their chances next season if they had Kante lining up alongside Nemanja Matic and Fred. The tactics to be changed in Championship Manager you can just press a button. I was told that during pre-season it looked like I was saying something absolutely out of order, something insane.

Scholes said the former Chelsea, Real Madrid and Inter Milan boss, whose sour demeanour in recent weeks has triggered speculation over his future, now finds himself in a “difficult position”.

“The list that I gave you before of the injured players is an important list and today after training I will speak with that group [of World Cup players] because everybody is different physically and mentally to see how they feel, how they are and to understand if they think how they can help or not help”.

Of the three promoted clubs, Fulham and Wolverhampton Wanderers look capable of flourishing in the top flight after strengthening but it could be a long haul for Cardiff City who mark their return away to Bournemouth on Saturday. He’s been in hard positions before. “That is just what I thought”.

United, meanwhile, have no intention of selling Paul Pogba (above).

In his first six months at Old Trafford, Sanchez was a pale imitation of the player who dazzled at Arsenal. “The one thing that does surprise me is Barcelona: I don’t see him as a Barcelona player”, said Scholes.

The Red Devils did not get off to a great start results-wise with three consecutive draws coming against Club American, San Jose Earthquakes and AC Milan – the latter in the International Champions Cup. Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville have also been less than enthusiastic in their assessment.

“When Sir Alex Ferguson was manager it happened”.

“We don’t seem to be courageous enough in England to do that”. You can’t really point to a true weakness anywhere in the side.

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Jean Michael Seri was a transfer target for Barcelona just 12 months ago, but will now be lining up at Craven Cottage rather than the Camp Nou along with former Nice team-mate Maxime Le Marchand, German World Cup victor Andre Schurrle and Alfie Mawson, who earned an England call-up earlier in the year. But look, they’re not the trophies United want. We spoke to Kompany and Walker and they seem so intent to not drop below the mentality and standards they achieved a year ago.